Since January's inauguration, an Obama-smitten, wonk-populated Washington has developed a communal crush on Peter Orszag, the White House's decidedly nerdy budget director. Though known for crunching health care numbers and running marathons, it seems Orszag has also found time for a dramatic love life. After announcing his engagement to ABC News correspondent Bianna Golodryga, his blissful bubble was quickly punctured by a New York Post report this morning that Orszag has fathered a child with venture capitalist Claire Milonas, his former girlfriend.

While gossip swirls around whether Orszag promised to marry Milonas and whether he ditched her after meeting Golodryga at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Orszag confirmed the basic facts in a press release: 

We were in a committed relationship until the spring of 2009. In November, Claire gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Although we are no longer together, we are both thrilled she is happy and healthy, and we would hope that everyone will respect her privacy.

His request for privacy is getting about as much respect as Tiger Woods's.

• Richard Johnson, Jeane MacIntosh, and Geoff Earle, New York Post: "Sources close to Milonas said her family and close friends were stunned by Orszag's boorish behavior. Milonas' tycoon dad, New York-based shipping magnate Spiros Milonas, 82, hit the roof. 'He had to be calmed down,' recalled one close family friend."

• Roxanne Roberts and Amy Argetsinger, Washington Post: "Something about those Harold Ramis-in-'Ghostbusters' looks, on a 6-2 marathoner's frame, inspired Internet fan pages like Orszagasm.com. "He made nerdy sexy," Rahm Emanuel told the New York Times last year."

• Chris Rovzar, Daily Intel: "Late last month, when we heard that White House budget director Peter Orszag was engaged to beautiful ABC News reporter Bianna Golodryga, we were so innocently happy for him. Look at that face! That is the expression of a man who literally never thought he could get so lucky. But then this afternoon, the Post informs us that 'lucky' might not be the only word to describe this guy's love life."

• Alex Pareene, Gawker: "Peter Orszag was loved and admired and respected by everyone until, uh, yesterday, when it was revealed that he left his girlfriend for some other lady who is on the TV, and then his old girlfriend had a baby, and the baby is his. It is not really a political scandal, or even any of our business, at all, but it is an odd thing to happen to the nerdy economist dude who is every wonk's favorite member of the administration."

• Ben Smith, Politico: "A wag notes, incidentally, that the child's Nov. 17 birthday would put conception at Feb. 17, the day Obama signed the stimulus package into law."

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